Marking die



Aug. 24, 1937. y A. w. ALTVATER 2,090,824

MARKING DIE Filed April 13, 1957 4 sheets-$11691v 1 ug. 24, 1937. A. w. ALTvATr-:R

MARKING DIE Filed April 13, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 24, 1937. A. w. ALTVATER MARKING DIE Filed April 15, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 viva '7 6.,

Aug. 24, 1937. A. w. ALTVATER y MARKING DIE Filed April 15, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Aug. 24, 1937 UNE-TED STATES PATENT GFFIQE 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to marking devices which are used in the manufacture. of shoes to mark upper blanks, such as Vamps, tips, quarters, foxing and straps, with lines for use as guides in subsequent hand and machine operations. The guide lines may indicate the center lines of the blanks, the lap of one blank over an adjacent blank, or the location of collars, imi- 1 tation tips, overlays, underlays, perforations, em- A bcssings, ornamental cut-outs and stitches.

Shoe upper blanks in a series of the different sizes and widths of the same style, which have a common portion of their peripheries held to the l same grade, are called center graded to distinguish them from regular graded upper blanks,

the peripheries of which have no common portion of any extent. In marking these shoe upper blanks, both center and regular graded, it is oft-en desirable to place at least two spaced marks thereon, at least one of which is Xed for all the blanks in the series and at least another one of which is varied in accordance with the size of the blanks, the variable mark being xed for only the blanks of the same size in the series. One instance of this occurs in the marking of quarters, the front mark being fixed and the rear mark being varied as the length of the quarter varies in order to locate the front edges of the foxing the proper distance for the size of the shoe from the rear end thereof. Other instances occur in the marking of Vamps, the rear mark being xed to locate a collar or lap line adjacent the throat uniformly for all the blanks in the series and the front mark being varied to locate a tip, genuine, imitation or ornamental, the proper distance for the size of the shoe from the front end thereof.

It has been proposed heretofore to provide a single die for producing spaced marks through- 10 out a series of shoe upper blanks of the same style. Each of the markers was mounted upon a plate which was fastened to the die by a screw in order that the plate with its marker might be removed as a unit from the die and replaced by another plate having a marker of different configuration thereon. Experience has demonstrated, however, that it is impracticable to impose the duty of manipulating screws and a screw 50 driver upon a female shoe factory operative.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a single die for producing spaced I marks throughout a series of shoe upper blanks of the same style in and from which die, respec- 55 tively, the marker plates may be readily inserted and withdrawn and yet be locked rigidly to the die during the marking operation.

To the accomplishment of this object, and such others as may appear hereinafter, the various features of the present invention reside in certain devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and then set forth in detail in the app-ended claims which possess advantages readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

The various features of the present invention will be readily understood from an inspection of the accompanying drawings illustrating the best form of the invention at present known to the inventor, in which,

Figure l is a view of the die in underside plan;

Fig. 2 is a View in sectional elevation on the line 2 2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail view in sectional elevation on the line 3 3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in sectional elevation on the line Il Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in underside plan showing the marking plates in the positions they are located on the die when the plates are inserted initially and when they are in readiness for withdrawal;

Fig. 6 is a detail view in sectional elevation on the line 6 6, Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a detail view in underside. plan minus the marking plates, showing the two supporting plates and the slide therebetween;

Fig. 8 is a detail view in underside plan of the top-supporting plate;

Fig. 9 is a detail View in elevation of the headed pin carried by the xed marking plate;

Fig. 10 is a detail view in elevation of the headed pin carried by the adjustable marking plate;

Fig. 11 is a view in plan of the work-supporting plate and gauge, the vamp shown being hybrid, the incongruous lines being shown merely for the purposes of disclosure, and

Fig. l2 is a View in sectional elevation on the line l2-I2, Fig. 11.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the die comprises a flat top plate I3, (Figs. 1 and 8), and a flat bottom plate Iii. The exposed face of the top plate is provided with the attaching means (not shown) for attaching the die to the die carrier inthe marking machine disclosed in my Patent No. 1,751,467, March 25, 1930. The other face of the. top plate I 3 is provided with spacing strips I5 and I6, (Fig. 8), through which the plates I3 and Ill are pinned together, thus forming a central space therebetween in which aslide I8 may slide.

The slide I8 is guided by two pins I9 and 20,

(Fig. '1), secured to the plates I3 and I4 and arranged to be embraced loosely, respectively, by the walls of elongated slots 2l and 22 formed in the slide I8. The slide is guided by a third pin 23 arranged to be embraced loosely by a slot 24 formed in the slide I8. The pin 23 constitutes a pivot for an operating lever 24 which swings over a radius 25 integral with the top plate I3. The lever 24 is provided with an operating handle 26 to the upper face of which is secured one end of a leaf spring 21 having a detent 28 on its free end. The detent 28 is arranged to ride successively into a series of depressions 29 formed in the upper face of the top plate and hold the operating lever 24 in any desired position of adjustment.

The slide I8 is moved, when the operating lever 24 is swung on the radius 25, by a pin 3E) depending from the lever 24 and embraced by the walls of a lateral slot 3| formed in the slide I8.

As usual in the type of marking machine disclosed in my patent, the base is designed and adapted to receive interchangeable work-supporting gauges of diiferent types and designs. One such Work-supporting gauge is illustrated in Fig. 11 which is designed specially to support and position or gauge a vamp for the operation of the marking mechanism. This work-supporting gauge comprises a plate 32 having holes 33 therethrough to receive the usual dowel pins (not shown) illustrated and described in my patent hereinbefore identified. A vamp gauge 34 of the bumper type is secured to the work-supporting plate 32 in proper position to gauge the vamp 35 from the throat 36 thereof.

The vamp constitutes one upper blank in a series having different sizes and widths of the same style. These upper blanks have a center graded throat, thus permitting each blank in the series to be gauged by the gauge 34. The tip lengths of the Vamps in the series are regular graded. That is, the lengths of the Vamps in one size of the series, from the toe ends to the throats thereof, measured along the center lines vary l: from the corresponding lengths in another size of the series.

Referring to Fig. 11 the vamp 35 is provided with two inked lines 31 and 38 forming guide or lap lines indicating the locations of blanks to be superimposed upon the vamp 35 in a subsequent operation. These marks 31 and 38 are located uniformly on all the Vamps in the series and in consequence may be formed by markers attached to a plate which is fixed with respect to the marking die.

The vamp 35 is provided with two spaced marks 39L and 40L on the left side of the vamp and with two spaced marks 4IR, and 42R on the right side thereof. These marks 39L, 40L, 4IR and 42Rl are located on the Vamps uniformly for only one size in the series, in this case the smallest size in the series. To place these marks uniformly on the next succeeding size in the series it is necessary to form the marks by markers attached to a plate which is adjustable with respect to the xed marking plate.

While the tip portion of the vamp 35 would be provided in practice only with the marks 39L, 4llL, MR and 42R for convenience in disclosure these marks have been shown on the vamp 35 in the locations they would be made on ve other successive sizes in the series in order to show how the adjustable markers must be shifted successively with respect to the throat of the vamp to accommodate them to mark uniformly only the same sizes in the series. These successive marks indicate also that the amount the adjustable marker is shifted to accommodate them to the succeeding sizes in the series is uniform in accordance with the requirements of the regular grade.

The marks 31 and 38 are formed by the marking edges 42 and 43, (Figs. 4 and 5), each constituting the exposed edge of an upstanding strip 44, the other edge of which is secured to a flat plate 45 in accordance with the method of marking dies disclosed in an application filed by me April 13, 1937, Serial No. 136,581.

The marking plate 45 is secured to the die so that the plate, with its markers, may be removed readily as a unit from the plate I4 and replaced by another plate 45 having markers of different configuration. To this end the radius 25 is provided with a depression 46, (Fig. l), spaced from the first depression 29 in the circular series. When the operating lever 26 is swung to locate the detent 28 in the depression 46, which position is indicated in Fig. '1 and which is known as the open position, two openings 41 and 48, (Fig. '1), are formed completely through the die. These openings receive loosely, respectively, pins 49 and 50, (Fig. 5) projecting upwardly from the top face of the plate 45. As indicated in Fig. 9 the pins on the plate 45 are each provided with a head 5I and a shank 52 of reduced diameter.

The heads 5I are received, respectively, by openings 53 formed in the top plate, which openings register with the openings 41 and 48 when the lever 46 is moved into the open position. The

openings 41 and 48 are large enough to permit the pins 49 and 50 to drop into them and out thereof.

In order to lock the non-adjustable plate 45 to prevent it from dropping out of the die during use, the slide I8 is provided with two button-hole or' key-hole slots 54 and 55, the eye portions of which register, respectively, with the openings 41 and 48 when the operating lever 24 is moved into the open position, (Fig. l), and the walls of the elongated portions of which embrace the shank 52 of the pins 49 and 50 to lock the marking plate 45 on the bottom plate I4 when the operating lever 24 is moved from the open position where the detent 28 may engage in any one of the depressions 29.

The marks 39L, 40L, 4I1l and 42R are formed, respectively, by the marking edges 56, 51, 58 and 59, (Fig. l), each constituting the exposed edge of an upstanding strip 60, (Fig. 2), secured to a ilat plate 6I in a manner similar to the strips 44 on the plate 45.

The plate 6I is adjustably mounted upon the bottom plate I4. The plate 6I secured to the die so that the plate with its markers may be removed readily as a unit and replaced by another plate 6I having markers of different configuration.

When the operating lever 24 is in the open position, (Fig. 7), openings 62 and 63 are formed completely through the die. These openings receive loosely pins 64 and 65, (Fig. 5) projecting upwardly from the top face of the plate 6I. As indicated in Fig. 10 the pins on the plate 6I are each provided with a head 66 and a shank 61 of reduced diameter. 'I'he heads 66 are received, respectively, by openings 68, (Fig. 2), formed in the slide I8, which openings register respectively with the openings 62 and 63 when the operating lever 24 is moved into the open position. The openings 62 and 63 are large enough to allow the pins 64 and 65 to drop in and out of them.

In order to lock the adjustable plate 6I upon the bottom plate I4 to prevent it from dropping from the die in use, the bottom plate I4 is provided with two button-hole or key-hole slots 69 and 'IIJ, the eye portions of which register, respectively, with the openings 68 in the slide I8 when the operating lever 24 is moved into the open position, and the walls of the elongated portions of which, respectively, embrace and grip the Shanks 6'I of the pins 64 and 65 when the slide I8 is moved by manipulation of the operating lever 24 from the open position to a position where the detent 28 cooperates with any one of the depressions 29.

With this construction, when the operating lever 24 is swung to transfer the detent 23 successively into the depressions 29 from left to right (Fig. l), it is apparent that the marking plate 6I, with its markers, is adjusted to correspond its position relative to the supported vamp for each succeeding size of the vamps in the series of the same style.

As indicated in Fig. 5, when the operating handle 26 is moved into the open position additional openings 'II, I2, 'I3 and 'I4 are formed completely through the die indicating that the pins 49 and 50 of the plate 45 may be inserted, respectively, into the openings 'II and 'I2 and that the pins 64 and 65 of the plate 6I may be inserted, respectively, into the openings 'I3 and 14. In fact, the die may support two narrow non-adjustable plates and two narrow adjustable plates, each plate carrying markers.

By the use of the illustrated embodiment of the present invention in the marking machine disclosed in my patent hereinbefore identified, one part of all the blanks in the series of the same style and another part of only the blanks of the same size in said series may be marked in a uniform manner, provision for adjustment being made for moving the other part a predetermined distance towards or away from the xed mark to mark uniformly the corresponding other parts of the blanks of another size in the series of the same style.

When the die is removed from the marking machine the marking plates 45 and 6I drop freely from the die when the operating lever 24 is thrown over to the open position.

Nothing herein explained is to be interpreted as limiting the invention in the scope of its application to use in marking any particular type of shoe upper blank in connection with the particular marking machine or the particular mode of operation or both selected for purposes of illustration and explanation. While the particulars of construction herein set forth are well suited to one structural form of the invention, it is not limited to these details of construction, nor to the conjoint use of all its features, nor is it to be understood that these particulars are essential since they may be modied within the skill of the artisan without departing from the true scope of the actual invention, characterizing features of which are set forth in the following claims by the intentional use of generic terms and expressions, inclusive of various modiflcations.

What is claimed as new, is:

1. A die for marking a series of shoe upper blanks of the same' style having, in combination, a top plate having at least one opening, a bottom plate having at least one opening, a slide mounted to slide between the plates having at least one button-hole slot, a marking plate, mounted upon the bottom plate, provided with at least one pin having a head insertable through the opening in the bottom plate and the eye portion of the button-hole slot in the slide andA removably seated in the opening of the top plate and a shank, and means for moving the slide in one direction to register the eye portion of the button-hole slot with the openings in the top and bottom plates and in the other direction to cause the walls of the elongated portion of the button-hole slot to embrace the shank of the marking plate pin and lock the marking plate upon the bottom plate.

2. A die for marking a series of shoe upper blanks of the same style having, in combination, a top plate, a bottom plate, having at least one button-hole slot, a slide mounted to slide between the plates having at least one opening, a marking plate, mounted upon the bottom plate, provided with at least one pin having a head, insertable through the eye portion of the buttonhole slot in the bottom plate and removably seated in the opening of the slide, and a shank, and means for moving the slide in one direction to register the opening therein with the eye portion of the button-hole slot and in the other direction to cause the walls of the elongated portion of the button-hole slot to embrace the shank of the marking plate pin and lock the marking plate upon the bottom plate.

3. A die for marking a series of shoe upper blanks of the same style having, in combination, a top plate having at least one opening, a bottom plate having at least one opening and at least one button-hole slot, a slide, mounted to slide between the plates, having at least one opening and at least one button-hole slot, marking plates, mounted flatwise upon the bottom plate, each provided with at least one pin having a head and a shank thereon, the pin on one plate being insertable through the opening in the bottom plate and the eye portion of the button-hole slot in the slide and removably seated in the opening of the top plate, the pin on the other plate being insertable through the eye portion of the button-hole slot in the bottom plate and removably seated in the opening in the slide, and means for moving the slide in one direction to register the eye portion of the button-hole slot therein with the openings in the top and bottom plates and to register the opening in the slide with the eye portion of the button-hole slot in the bottom plate and in the other direction to cause the walls of the two button-hole slots to embrace the Shanks of the pins associated therewith, respectively, and lock the marking plates upon the bottom plate.

4. A die for marking a series of shoe upper blanks of the same style having, in combination, a support, a slide, a marking plate carried by the support and having a pin and slot connection with the slide, and a marking plate carried by the slide and having a pin and slot connection with the support.

ARTHUR W. ALTVA'I'ER. 

